A crowded field of seven candidates will be featured on the April 6 ballot for two seats on the Rockwood School District’s Board of Education.
Incumbents Tamara Jo Rhomberg and Jaime Bayes are running for new three-year terms; Bayes is seeking her third while Rhomberg is running for her second full term after joining the board in 2017.
They are being challenged by Charles Keith Messmer, Sean Patrick Conover, Tamarah Wagner, Jackie Koerner and Terrie Desloge.
Conover, Wagner and Desloge did not return Leader candidate questionnaires.
School board members are unpaid.
RHOMBERG, 74, lives in Fenton. She has two children, four stepchildren, nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. She worked in the educational field for more than 50 years as a preschool teacher, second-grade teacher, reading specialist and reading intervention coordinator and a Title I and Oasis coordinator. She worked as a literacy consultant for Zaner-Bloser Publishing and as an independent educational consultant.
She received a bachelor’s degree in education from Southeast Missouri State University in 1968, received a reading specialist certification from Harris Stowe State College in 1989, a master’s degree in educational processes from Maryville University in 1993 and a degree in elementary administration from Lindenwood University in 2000.
Rhomberg previously worked for Rockwood in a number of positions.
BAYES, 44, lives in Fenton. She and her husband, Matt, have three children. She is a community volunteer. She received a bachelor’s degree in education in 1998 and a master’s degree in educational foundations in 2001, both from St. Louis University.
MESSMER, 40, lives in Eureka. He and his wife, Karin, have three children. He is a police officer. He received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from University of Missouri-St. Louis.
KOERNER, 38, lives in Fenton. She and her husband, Chris, have two children. She is a board governance facilitator at the Wikimedia Foundation. She received a bachelor’s degree in foreign languages from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in 2006, a master’s degree in student personnel administration from St. Louis University in 2009 and a doctorate degree in higher education from St. Louis University in 2016.
What experience do you have (elected office, civic organizations, volunteer work, etc.) that might serve you well in this position?
Rhomberg: My volunteer experiences include serving as a Girl Scout leader and summer camp director. I am a past director, secretary, treasurer, vice president and president of the St. Louis Literacy Association and past director, vice president and president of the Missouri Literacy Association. I have been a Eureka Band Booster, served on the Rockwood Summit Senior Slam Committee and was a Relay for Life chairperson in addition to my four years on the school board.
Bayes: I’ve gained tremendous experience serving on the board for six years. During that time, I served on the COPE committee. I am a classroom volunteer, previously a PTO president and co-vice president on the President’s Forum board. I volunteer with the Rockwood Gives Back steering committee, helping students and families in need. These roles give me perspective across the district to bear in mind when making decisions.
Messmer: I’m a hard-working parent of a high school junior and twin first-graders.
Koerner: I am a researcher focused on bias and inclusion. I am skilled at listening and working with large communities. I volunteer with the Rockwood Summit Middle School Garden Club and Helping Hands Pantry. I have served as the Rockwood PTO vice president of gifted parent education, Book Talk discussion leader, room mother and advocate for programs supporting Rockwood students.
What are the biggest problems facing the district and how would you address them?
Rhomberg: There are several challenges resulting from this pandemic. One may be learning gaps. We will need to work to see more than one year’s growth in one year. We may need to re-evaluate our resources and talents to ensure that all students can live up to their potential. There may be financial challenges due to decreases in state funding and a loss of other revenue sources. This will require the board to make some tough decisions so that we are fiscally responsible to our community while still being supportive of our students and staff.
Bayes: The social and emotional health of students and staff was a significant focus during my time on the board, but the unforeseen challenges of the global pandemic caused additional trauma. We should continue to strive to develop and offer programs that will support healing. Transitioning to a new normal as the recovery continues will also require adjustments. Academic health remains a priority, as we work with teachers to ensure continued student progress. Rockwood has many great resources and programs in place; I look forward to improving those and extending these conversations into our community in partnership with all stakeholders.
Messmer: Transparency and decision-making. I would ensure that everyone knows the decisions being made and why those decisions are made so that parents, teachers and students are more informed. I would also listen and represent everyone. I want every person in this district to be informed and feel like their opinions on how to educate their children are being heard and represented. Listening to constituents and keeping them informed would help our district move forward during these hard times.
Koerner: Equity and inclusion, mental health of our students and transparency are critical right now. I want to assess what is happening in our communities so we can work on these situations together. I want to provide education to our educators and our community so we can come together as one. Finally, I want to embrace transparency and connection. I want the communication practices to be accessible for our community. We cannot just say we allow inclusion; we must actively encourage inclusion.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Rhomberg: I bring to the board years of educational experience, as a teacher and as an administrator. I am an objective listener, I ask tough questions without being offensive or defensive, and I am a logical thinker, which means that I am always looking ahead to the impact that any decision might have on the district. One goal I have would be to bring the work of the strategic plan to fruition, to move from planning to action, especially in equity and social justice.
Bayes: I’m highly qualified by my 13-year history as a Rockwood parent, volunteer and advocate for all children. My focus has been and will remain prioritizing the education, social and emotional health and safety of all our children. We can work together as a district and community by keeping in mind our children are our common ground. We can listen and support one another in our roles as advocates so that we can help all students reach their full potential. We must continue to do what is best for our students, families, teachers, staff and school community.
Messmer: I’m a regular paycheck-to-paycheck parent, and that is what is needed at the moment to represent the parents, faculty and students. This district largely consists of parents who don't have time in their day to become actively involved with the district, but desperately want a voice in how our children are being educated. I can represent them.
Koerner: I want to bring together our community to better support all our students. Students in our schools are victims of bias and racial violence. This hate has no place in our schools. Our students are experiencing a mental health crisis; a survey of two of our high schools said two-thirds of our students have considered suicide. This has got to change. Our children need love and support. I have experience researching complex situations and bringing together communities to solve problems.
What letter grade would you give your school board on its policy regarding virtual vs. in-classroom learning during the current school year, and why?
Rhomberg: I would give the district an A-minus on its policy regarding virtual vs. in-class learning. The district has had to make some tough decisions, sometimes quickly but always based on advice and in collaboration with science and health officials. Having to make shifts in the learning model put students, teachers and caregivers under a great deal of pressure, which the district recognized and has made adjustments to the curriculum and to the platforms. The district must continue to communicate clearly with information that is easily accessible.
Bayes: I’m proud Rockwood was one of the first districts to offer full-time, in-person learning as well as a virtual option. While there is no policy related to virtual learning, our gradual phase-in plan started in September and brought students in by grade level, focusing on the health and wellness of students and staff as local, state and federal guidelines and medical recommendations shifted daily. Grading is difficult. What warrants an “A” from one family might warrant an “F” from another. We’ve implemented a task force to evaluate strengths and areas to improve our response and make optimal decisions moving forward.
Messmer: D-minus. Decisions made by the district this year lacked common sense, reasoning and were not always truthful. There were promises and policies made that were not followed through and our teachers, students and parents suffered due to the poor planning and execution.
Koerner: I would have to say B-plus because these are extraordinary times. The schools closed swiftly, and the spring 2020 semester was not as rigorous as we hoped, but maybe that was OK. We all were going through changes in our lives and so were our young people. Maybe they needed that lighter load of coursework to allow for self-care time. I understand this put a lot of families in challenging situations. I fully support the decision to start virtually this school year. It was not a perfect year, but perhaps we should reset our expectations for global pandemics.